Corn crib steel liner



Jan. 4, 1966 H B. BOTHE ET AL CORN CRIB STEEL LINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1963 ELM ER L. WURDEMAN E H T O DU B Du N E H INVENTORS Jan. 4, 1966 H. B. BOTHE ET AL 3,226,896

CORN CRIB STEEL LINER Filed March 28, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HENRY B. BOTHE ELMER L. WURDEMAN INVENTORS Jan. 4, 1966 B. BOTHE ET AL 3,226,896

7 CORN CRIB STEEL LINER Filed March 28, 1965 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Q05 v @oE llllllld lav Y\\. r

HENRY B. BOTHE ELMER L. WURDEMAN INVENTORS United States Patent O This invention relates to rain bins and more particularly it is an object of this invention to provide an efficient and economical way to convert a common wire-rod mesh cornjcrib into a steel 'grain bin. I

Although storage space for shelled corn has been badly needed, the high cost of imperforate steel bins for shelled corn storage has rendered their installation economically prohibitive for themajority of farmers. These same farmers often have corn cribs of Wire or rod mesh, but

these thousands of corn cribs throughout the country have been unuseable for solving the more modern problem of shelled storage because the shelled corn can freely escape through the mesh openings.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an economically available way of attaching imperforate steel lining panels to the inner side of the common mesh corn crib. It is an object to provide anefficientandeconomical way to increase the corn kernel capacity of a corn crib by as much as the ratio of from two to five by making possible the conversion of the corn c'rib to the storage of shelled corn without the necessity of storing the bulky husks.

A further object of the invention is to provide 'means for supporting steel panels against the inner side of a "corn crib to accomplish this conversidn, with the panels held in place by bolts extending through the mesh andthrough the lining panel with a plate spanning adjacent mesh portions at the outer end of the bolt and with a further plate disposed on the inner side of the panel whereby the inner plate tends to resist the tendency of the bolt and nut to pull right through the panel by distortion at times when the bin of this invention is empty and receives the full force of a forty or fifty-mile an hour wind. In such cases, the danger of collapsing its great, even though when the bin is full of-grain, the grain itself prevents the inward collapsing of the liner.

Inthe drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a frontal elevation of a steel bin made from a corn crib according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the bin of FIGURE '1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectionalview taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view of FIGURE 5 as seenfrom the left hand side.

FIGURE 5 is a detail taken in horizontal cross section through a side of the steel bin'or as seen along the line 55 of FIGURE 4 and "showing a segment of the tion, a corn crib generally indicated at is there shown having a perforate wire mesh wall including horizontal wire members 12 and vertical wire members 14. Such walls are usually cylindrical'and the openings 16 in the 3,226,896 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 ICE Wire mesh aresui'tabl'e for retaining corn cobs, but much larger than would be suitable for retaining shelled corn.

Such cribs normally have a roof 18 suitably fastened to the side wall members '14 by means not shown.

In accordance with this invention, a lining generally indicated at 30 is provided and is composed of rigid metal panels each of which are adapted to assume a substantially cylindrical shape. Each panel is given the numeral 32 and it Will be seen that each panel has preferably a substantially horizontal undersurface 36' and a horizontal upper surface 38.

The panels are arranged 'in overlapping relationship with the lower edge of each upper one of a pair of adjacent'panels overlapping the outer side of the next lower panel "of a pair of panels by a few inches sufficiently to shed water. Thus a substantially imperforate side Wall enclosure is formed.

A suitable means is provided for securing the panels 32 to the wire mesh corn Crib 10. Such means preferably comprises a plurality of plates 40 disposed on the outer side of each panel 32, with the plates 40 of each panel 32 spaced preferably equidistantly around the outer side of the wire mesh corn crib 10.

Each outer plate 40 preferably spans at least two vertical wires l t-of the wire mesh corn crib. At each plate 40 a bolt extends through each plate 40, each bolt 48 having'a head disposed outwardly of the respective outer plate 40 and bearing thereagainst.

Each bolt 48 extends through an opening 16 in the wire mesh and through openings 54 'in the adjacent panel.

It is a cost saving feature of the invention that the panels 40 are placed so that their bolts 48 will extend through tw'o of the panels 32 at the same time at places where an upper 'panel overlaps an under panel.

Each bolt 48 has a head 50'onits outer end disposed outwardly of the plate 40 and bearingthereagainst. Each bolt 48 extendsfthrough openings 54 in the respective inner and outer panels 32, as best seen in FIGURE 5. Each bolt'e'xtends through an opening 60 in an inner plate "62 and a nut 66 bears against the inner side of the inner plate '62 in each case.

A suitable cement-of a typewhich 'is adapted to stretch during temperature changes is disposed between the inner plate 62 and the inner panel 32 and is disposed between the bolt 48 and the walls of the adjacent panel openings 54.

Itwill be seen "that in FIGURE "3 each horizontal tier of'panels can bec'omp'osed of two or'more panels which "that'these overlapped surfaces be coated with a suitable "cement that will stretchduring shiftings of the panels in wind, weather, and loading. This description of the cement that is used is the description that would be the case with any cement mentioned herein. A rubberized plastic cement has been found -very suitable.

The lower 'one of the panels 32 has openable access doors87 and 89.

Referring now-to FIGURE 7, a horizontal section looking downwardly through the outer wall of the converted In the modification of-FIGURES 6, 7,-an'd 8, however, the shank of a bolt '90 passes under an outer panel section 100, but

through an opening 106 in an inner panel section 112. The outerwire mesh inthe modifications of FIGURES "6, "7,and "8, is composed of vertical wires and horizontal wires 122 and ittwill beseenthat all other parts of 3 the converted corn crib of the modification of FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 are respectively the same as their counterpart in the modification first described.

There are outer plates 140 and inner plates 142 secured in place by bolts 90.

It will be understood that the purpose of having the outer panel section 100 horizontally slidable across the top of the bolt 90 is to facilitate the drawing of the plates 142 and 140 toward each other during assembly, and toward the wire mesh, whereby a durable structure isprovided which is able to resist the tendency of high winds to collapse the lining panels 100 and 112.

It is to be understood that the panels 100 and 112 are relatively thin so as to be economical and affordable, and that this possibility of shifting of the panels 100 and 112 with respect to each other during the tightening of the bolts 90 provides a durable structure able to resist the tendency of high winds to collapse the thin lining panels at times when the bin is empty and without the lateral support of corn.

As best seen in FIGURE 8, a suitable stretchable cement similar to the cement earlier described is disposed around the bolts 90 and between the bolts 90 and the openings 106 and is preferably disposed also between the overlapping portions of the panels 100 and 112, the cement areas being indicated by the numeral 120.

The cement tends to provide a weather-tight closure.

It will be seen that this ability to permit a shifting of an outer panel section with respect to an inner panel section is achieved in the modification of FIGURE by means of having that opening 54 which is in the outer panel 32 of a substantially greater horizontal dimension than the shank of the bolt 48 to permit a shifting of the outer panel 32 with respect to the inner panel 32 during tightening of the bolts. Cement fills this area also as shown at 68.

It will be seen that the under surface 300 of the panel 100 or the under surface of any one of the upper panels forms, in effect, a generally horizontally extending downwardly facing surface portion 302, certain portions of the downwardly facing surface 302 being each disposed above and resting on a respective one of the bolts 90. Each certain portion of the downwardly facing surface 302 has an open space beneath it as shown at 304, in which open spaces 304, respective bolts 90 are received.

Each space 304 is of sufficient length transversely of the respective bolt 90 therebeneath that the downwardly facing surface portions 302 of a respective outer panel are adapted to slide horizontally across the bolts 90 to permit a shifting of adjacent panels of adjacent tiers with respect to each other as the panels are gradually drawn toward the wire mesh by a tightening of the bolts 90.

As thus described, it is believed that the two modifications of this invention both fulfill the objects above set forth, providing an eflicient and economical way to convert a common wire mesh corn crib into a steel grain bin.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a corn crib steel liner constructed in accordance with our invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that our invention can be changed and modified without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason, we do not Wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out our invention in practice, except as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a corn crib having a perforate wire mesh wall suitable for retaining corn on the cob, but not shelled corn, lining means comprising rigid metal panels arranged in overlapping relationship so as to form a substantially imperforate enclosure, said panels being disposed against the inner side of said wire mesh whereby said corn crib is thereby made suitable for receiving shelled corn, said panels being arranged in horizontal tiers with each upper tier overlapping the outer side of each lower tier so as to shed rain, and means for securing said panels to said wire mesh comprising spaced outer plates spanning a plurality of wires of said wire mesh, bolts each extending through one of said outer plates and each having a head disposed outwardly of the respective outer plate, whereby lapping panel sections are defined, bolt openings extending through the inner one of said panel sections at each of said bolts, the outer one of said panel sections having generally horizontally extending downwardly facing surface portions each disposed above and resting on a respective one of said bolts, said horizontally extending surface portions each having an open space beneath it in which said open space a respective bolt is received each said space being of sufficient length transversely of the respective bolt therebeneath that the said downwardly facing surfaces of a respective outer panel section are adapted to slide horizontally across respective bolts to permit a shifting of adjacent panels of adjacent tiers with respect to each other as the panels are gradually drawn toward the wire mesh by tightening of the bolts, and inner plates disposed inwardly of the inner panel sections at said bolts, said inner plates having openings therethrough for receiving said bolts, and nuts on the inner ends of said bolts respectively for drawing said plates toward said wire mesh whereby a durable structure is provided which is able to resist the tendency of high winds to collapse an economically thin lining means at times when the bin is empty and without the lateral support of corn.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which a suitable cement of the type that is adapted to stretch is disposed between said inner plates and said panels.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which a suitable cement of the type that is adapted to stretch is disposed between said inner plates and said panels, and also between the overlapping portions of said panels at said bolt openings.

4. In combination with a corn crib having a perforate wire mesh wall suitable for retaining corn on the cob, but not shelled corn, lining means comprising rigid metal panels arranged in overlapping relationship so as to form a substantially imperforate enclosure, said panels being disposed against the inner side of said wire mesh whereby said corn crib is thereby rnade suitable for receiving shelled corn, said panels being arranged in horizontal tiers with each upper tier overlapping the outer side of each lower tier so as to shed rain and means for securing said panels to said wire mesh comprising spaced outer plates spanning a plurality of wires of said wire mesh, bolts each extending through one of said outer plates and having a head disposed outwardly of the respective outer plate, whereby lapping panel sections are defined, bolt openings extending through the inner one of said panel sections at each of said bolts, the lower edge of the outer one of said panel sections being disposed above and resting on respective bolts whereby the lower edge of a respective outer panel section is adapted to slide horizontally across respective bolts to permit a shifting as the panels are gradually drawn toward the wire mesh by tightening of the bolts, and inner plates disposed inwardly of the inner panel sections at said bolts, said inner plates having openings therethrough for receiving said bolts, and nuts on the inner ends of said bolts respectively for drawing said plates toward said wire mesh whereby a durable structure is proyided which is able to resist the tendency of high winds to collapse an economically thin lining means at times when the bin is empty and without the lateral support of corn.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which a stretchable cement is disposed around said bolts and between said inner plates and inner panel sections to provide a watertight closure.

(References 011 following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED FOREIGN PATENTS STATES PATENTS 110,311 4/1940 Australia.

Nichols et aL 621,699 2/ 1927 France.

Eaton 189-3 Davis et a1 X 5 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Przmary Exammer. Logan 85-1 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CORN CRIB HAVING A PERFORATE WIRE MESH WALL SUITABLE FOR RETAINING CORN ON THE COB, BUT NOT SHELLED CORN, LINING MEANS COMPRISING RIGID METAL PANELS ARRANGED IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP SO AS TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLY IMPERFORATE ENCLOSURE, SAID PANELS BEING DISPOSED AGAINST THE INNER SIDE OF SAID WIRE MESH WHEREBY SAID CORN CRIB IS THEREBY MADE SUITABLE FOR RECEIVING SHELLED CORN, SAID PANELS BEING ARRANGED IN HORIZONTAL TIERS WITH EACH UPPER TIER OVERLAPPING THE OUTER SIDE OF EACH LOWER TIER SO AS TO SHED RAIN, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID PANELS TO SAID WIRE MESH COMPRISING SPACED OUTER PLATES SPANNING A PLURALITY OF WIRES OF SAID WIRE MESH, BOLTS EACH EXTENDING THROUGH ONE OF SAID OUTER PLATES AND EACH HAVING A HEAD DISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF THE RESPECTIVE OUTER PLATE, WHEREBY LAPPING PANEL SECTIONS ARE DEFINED, BOLT OPENINGS EXTENDING THROUGH THE INNER ONE OF SAID PANEL SECTIONS AT EACH OF SAID BOLTS, THE OUTER ONE OF SAID PANEL SECTIONS HAVING GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FACING SURFACE PORTIONS EACH DISPOSED ABOVE AND RESTING ON A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID BOLTS, SAID HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING SURFACE PORTIONS EACH HAVING AN OPEN SPACE BENEATH IT IN WHICH SAID OPEN SPACE A RESPECTIVE BOLT IS RECEIVED EACH SAID SPACE BEING OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TRANSVERSELY OF THE RESPECTIVE BOLT THEREBENEATH THAT THE SAID DOWNWARDLY FACING SURFACES OF A RESPECTIVE OUTER PANEL SECTION ARE ADAPTED TO SLIDE HORIZONTALLY ACROSS RESPECTIVE BOLTS TO PERMIT A SHIFTING OF ADJACENT PANELS OF ADJACENT TIERS WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AS THE PANELS ARE GRADUALLY DRAWN TOWARD THE WIRE MESH BY TIGHTENING OF THE BOLTS, AND INNER PLATES DISPOSED INWARDLY OF THE INNER PANEL SECTIONS AT SAID BOLTS, SAID INNER PLATES HAVING OPENINGS THERETHROUGH FOR RECEIVING SAID BOLTS, AND NUTS ON THE INNER ENDS OF SAID BOLTS RESPECTIVELY FOR DRAWING SAID PLATES TOWARD SAID WIRE MESH WHEREBY A DURABLE STRUCTURE IS PROVIDED WHICH IS ABLE TO RESIST THE TENDENCY OF HIGH WINDS TO COLLAPSE AN ECONOMICALLY THIN LINING MEANS AT TIMES WHEN THE BIN IS EMPTY AND WITHOUT THE LATERAL SUPPORT OF CORN. 